There are many reasons why one can gain belly fat. These include: poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. Improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, reducing stress, and making other lifestyle changes can help you lose unwanted belly fat.
Abdominal fat refers to the fat found around the abdomen. There are two types of abdominal fat:
– Visceral fat: This fat surrounds a person’s organs.
– Subcutaneous: This is the fat that lies under the skin.
The complications of visceral fat are more dangerous to health than subcutaneous fat. There are many lifestyle and dietary changes you can make to lose belly fat.
Why is abdominal fat dangerous?
A poor diet can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is one of the leading causes of serious illness.
Excess abdominal fat can increase the risk of:
- – heart disease
- – myocardial infarction
- – arterial hypertension
- – cardiac crisis
- – Type 2 diabetes
- – asthma
- – breast cancer
- – Colon cancer
- – Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia
The main causes of abdominal fat
Common causes of excess abdominal fat include:
1. Poor diet
Sugary foods, such as cakes and candy, and drinks, such as sodas and fruit juices, may be implicated. They can:
- – cause weight gain
- – slow down a person’s metabolism
- – reduce a person’s ability to burn fat
Diets low in protein and carbohydrates can also affect weight. Protein helps a person feel full longer. People who do not include lean protein in their diet may eat more food overall. Trans fatty acids, in particular, can cause inflammation and lead to obesity. Trans fatty acids are found in many foods, including fast food and baked goods. It’s best to start by replacing trans fatty acids with healthy whole foods, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Reading food labels can help you determine if your foods contain trans fat.
2. Too much alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to various health problems, such as liver disease and inflammation. Excessive alcohol consumption causes men to gain weight around the belly, although the results of studies in women are conflicting.
3. Lack of exercise
If a person consumes more calories than they burn, they will gain weight. An inactive lifestyle makes it difficult to get rid of excess fat, especially in the abdomen.
4. Stress
A steroid hormone, cortisol, helps the body control and manage stress. When a person is in a dangerous situation or under a lot of pressure, their body releases cortisol, which can affect their metabolism. People often reach for food to comfort themselves when they feel stressed. Cortisol causes excess calories to hang around the belly and other areas of the body to be used later.
5. Genetics
There is evidence that a person’s genes may play a role in whether or not they become obese. Scientists believe that genes may influence behavior, metabolism, and the risk of developing obesity-related diseases. Similarly, environmental factors and behavior also play a role in how likely people are to become obese.
6. Bad dream
Lack of rest can have an impact on well-being. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine links weight gain to short sleep duration. Both poor sleep quality and short duration can play a role in the development of belly fat. Lack of sleep can potentially lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, such as emotional eating.
7. Smoking
Researchers may not consider smoking to be a direct cause of belly fat. But they think it’s a risk factor.
A 2012 study published in the journal PloS showed that although obesity was the same in smokers and nonsmokers, smokers had more abdominal and visceral fat than nonsmokers.
How to lose belly fat
By considering the following changes, you may be able to lose unwanted belly fat:
1. Improve your diet
A healthy and balanced diet can help a person lose weight. It is also likely to have a positive effect on general health.
Sugar, fatty foods and refined carbohydrates with low nutritional content should be avoided. Instead, they should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates.
2. Reduce your alcohol consumption
A person trying to lose excess abdominal fat should watch their alcohol intake. Alcoholic beverages often contain added sugar, which can contribute to weight gain.
3. Increase your physical activity
A sedentary lifestyle leads to many serious health problems, including weight gain. People trying to lose weight should include a fair amount of exercise in their daily routine. Aerobic exercise and strength training can help them fight belly fat. Exercise is most effective when you combine cardiovascular training and high-intensity training with weights and resistance exercises.
4. Get more sun exposure
A 2016 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health indicates that sun exposure can reduce weight gain and metabolic dysfunction. This review notes that few studies have looked at the effects of the sun in humans with respect to weight gain.
5. Reduce your stress
Stress can cause a person to gain weight. The release of the stress hormone cortisol influences a person’s appetite and may cause them to eat more.
Stress relief tactics include mindfulness and meditation, as well as gentle exercises, such as yoga.
6. Improve your sleep pattern
Sleep is vital for people’s overall health, and a lack of rest can have serious consequences for well-being. The main purpose of sleep is to allow the body to rest, heal, and recuperate. But it can also have an impact on a person’s weight. Getting a good night’s sleep is essential when it comes to losing weight, including belly fat.
7. Quit smoking
Smoking is a risk factor for abdominal fat gain, as well as many other serious health problems. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk of excess abdominal fat and improve overall health.
The probability of various health problems is higher if a person has excess abdominal fat. Some of the causes include a poor diet, lack of exercise, and short or poor-quality sleep. A healthy diet and an active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and reduce the risk of problems associated with it.
Fountain
Abdominal obesity and your health. (2017, January 20)
Behavior, environment, and genetic factors all play a role in whether people are overweight or obese. (2018, January 19)
Fleury, N., Geldenhuys, S., and Gorman, S. (October 11, 2016). Sun exposure and its effects on human health: Mechanisms through which sun exposure could reduce the risk of developing obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(10), 999
Frequently asked questions about saturated fats. (North Dakota)
Kim, JH, Shim, KW, Yoon, YS, Lee, SY, Kim, SS, and Oh, SW (September 24, 2012). Cigarette smoking increases abdominal and visceral obesity, but not overall fatness: an observational study. Plos one, 7(9), e45815
St-Onge, M.-P. (2013, January 15). The role of sleep duration in the regulation of energy balance: effects on energy intake and expenditure. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 9(1), 73–80
Targeting belly fat. (2010, August)
Traversy, G. and Chaput, J.-P. (2015, March). Alcohol use and obesity: an update. Current Obesity Reports, 4(1), 122–130
* HealthKey strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO EVENT can the information provided replace the opinion of a health professional.
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Abdominal fat oily skin belly fat fat belly